Radiator core for automobile cooling systems



June 28, 1932. I w w, MU|R 1,864,751

RADIATOR CORE FOR AUTOMOBILE COOLING SYSTEMS Filed April 27, 1929 3maentor Patented June 28, 1932 I UNITED. STATES WELLINGTON W. MUIR, OF LOCKPOET, NEW YORK RADIATOR CORE FOR AUTOMOBILE COOLING SYSTEMS.

Application filed April 27,

This invention relates to the cores of radia tors for the cooling systems of internal com-. bu'stion engines or the like and has for its oh- 1 ject to provide a more efficient Construction which is less costly to manufacture than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention Consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts as Will be .10 more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views, 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view somewhat diagrammatic illustrating a radiator for an automobile containing a core built along the lines presently to be described;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail in partial vertical section illustrating the assembly of the core units as well as the construction of one of the water tubes thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail 'of a portion of I one of the separator strips employedin the core construction;

Fig. 4c is an enlarged perspective View illustrating the formation of one of the fins asso ciated with the water tubes I Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectionalview taken through one of the fins; and i i Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of' one of the fins taken as on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5

and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In order that this invention may be the better understood it is said that heretofore radiator core constructions havebeen such that either vertical or substantially horizontal water tubes have been formed which permit a passage of water therethrough with insufficient. cooling thereof under some conditions. This has been caused by several factors such as inadequate dimensions orcapacity, insuflicient radiating surface for the transfer of heat from the cooling fluid to the atmosphere, a too direct passage for the cooling fluid through the radiator whereby insuflicient time is given to the fluid for complete cooling thereof, and other factors which will be readily observed and understood by those skilled 1929. Serial No. 358,736.-

in the art. The purpose of this invention is to provide a construction which is somewhat similar to prior constructions in that the core units are made from extremely thin metal strips which are preformed by crimping into shapes which will readily fitjoneanother' or which will fit separator strips provided there for, all to the end that the passage of cooling fluid through the radiator core will be broken, interrupted, or otherwise affected so that a transfer of more heat to the atmosphere is accomplished because of the prolongation of the passage and increasedturbulence of the fluid through the tubes of the core. Another object of this inventionlies in providing improved separator strips which'will permit of stronger constructions and create a more rigid radiator as a whole than those hereto} fore proposed. A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction oifering less resistance but more turbulence to the air passing through the core for absorbing theheat given off from the cooling fluid. V

This invention isparticularly applicable to radiators having substantially square formedrair cells in its core, it bein'g understood that other forms may be readily'devised which will still fall within the limits of, this invention. The actual formationof these cells should'be described so that the invention may be the better understood and therefore the following is dir'ectedtoa disclosure of such construction.

Extremely thin sheets of soft metal, hav-' ing high heat conductivity and such for example as copper or brass, are formed into narrow strips of about 2 to 3 inches width. This strip which is substantially continuous is fed from a roll through pressure rollers the surfaces of'which constitute dies to impress in said strip a plural number of inden-= tions Q arranged in vertical and horizontal portions are pinched together at the sides of the strip as indicated at 14 to form double thickness fins 3 extending laterally from the plane of the major portion of the strip.

The strip so formed is then cut into lengths slightly more than twice the dimension of the finished core measured from top to bottom thereof. In other words, if the core as completed is to beabout twenty-four inches in height then these strips are cut into lengths of about fifty inches. The purpose of this is to permit these preformed strips to be folded upon themselves as clearly indicated in the drawing the surplus metal being taken up in the folds 6 at the top and bottom so that when the ends of the strip are brought to gether and interlocked in the single joint as shown at 9'in Fig. 2, there will be formed a core unit of a length equal to the height of the finished radiator. A predetermined number of units are then assembled to form the finished'core possessing the required heat conducting area. Division or separator strips may be placed between the fins of each unit as desired to assist in the radiation of heat as well as to strengthen the core. The fins form portions of the wall structure of the air cells 8, the remainder of the core unit and the separator strips forming the other walls of said cells. lVhen the units are assembled there will be formed therebetween tubes 5 to conduct the cooling fluid, such as water, from side to side of the radiator during which travel the heat from said fluid is abstracted and transferred-to the air passing through the air cells. The formation of the radiator core unit strips may be readily understood from the foregoing and with reference to prior issued patents such for example as 1,169,481 granted Jan. 25, 1916 to Herbert G. Harrison for Process of making automobile radiator sections.

Referring to Fig. 2 there is disclosed a radiator cor-e construction in which a flat strip of very thin metal is employed which has been previously passed through forming rolls as; above described to impress therein the rows of substantially spherical indentions 2 with folds constituting fins 3 separating the rows of indentions. From Fig. 4: it will be observed that in the formation of the core units there are created flanges 4 at each side edge of the core strip, said flanges having a plane surface for the purpose of securing one radiator core unit to its adjacent unit. That is to say, there are provided a plurality ofthese flanges 4c the surfaces of all of which lie in a plane so that when one unit is brought up against an adjacent unit the two units may be secured together as with solder to form sides of substantially square air cells 8 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 the vertical rows of indentions of the adjacent units forming the water tubes or passages 5 therebetween.

Radiator constructions are so well known that the above will be readily understood by one skilled in the art particularly with referas the air cells of the radiator.

as shown at 7 is inserted between the folded 1 over portions of the strip and against which the fins 3 will contactingly rest so that as the heated fluid, such as water, courses down the water tube 5 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 the heat from said Water will be taken up by the thin metal of the core and this heat will be transferred through the fins 3 and separator plate 7 to the atmosphere which is passing through the spaces 8 known words, by the foregoing description it will be understood that a core is formed providing closed water passages 5, and openings 8 for the atmosphere which are not closed at their ends, whereby said atmosphereis free to pass through said spaces and over the surfaces of the metal forming the radiator core.

The separator strip 7 is of peculiar formation in that it is provided with parallel grooves extending in opposite directions from the plane of the separator strip. That is to say and with particular reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that there are grooves 10 formed in one face of the strip and there 2 are grooves 11 formed in the opposite face of said strip the grooves 10 and 11 alternating with each other. The purpose of this is clearly to be seen from Fig. 2 since said strip is inserted between the fins of each core unit, the fins on one side of the strip being seated in the grooves 10 while the fins of the opposite side of said strip lie in the grooves 11, said grooves being spaced from each other a distance equal to the spacing of the fins 3.

In other words, from Fig. 2 it will be seen that the core unit is formed by bending over the preformed strip of metal in such manner that the fins 8 of said strip will lie in staggered relation with each other and this calls for the alternating of the in the separator strip 7.

The separator strip is made of copper or brass and preferably tinned on both sides grooves 10 and 11 and at least the edge portion of each fin 3is If tinned as indicated in Fig. 4 by the numeral 12 so that upon the application of heat the fins will be secured in the grooves 10 and 11 of the strip 7.

It is to be observed from Fig. 2 that the 2135* fins 3 are disposed in staggered relation with each other on opposite sides of the separator strip. By this construction the indentions 2 are likewise made to assume staggered positions with respect to each other whereby the water in the tube 5 will travel in a zigzag path instead of in a truly vertical path. This is clearly indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 and therefore no further description In other is deemed necessary except to state that-by this construction not only is the length of the watercolumn increased from the top to the bottom of the core but the water while passing through the tube is subjected to a greater turbulence than in constructions heretofore known, whereby an increased transfer of heat to the metal of the core is accomplished, without unduly restricting the flow through each tube. As a result a higher mean temperature of the metal of the entire core is obtained which insures heat transfer to the air. Also it is to be observed that the indentions, as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and i are substantially semi-spherical in form and of a size maximum to the dimension between the fins 3 whereby practically all the metal between said fins is deflected out of the axial line of the water tube 5 to create the greatest possible degree of deflection of the water column in the core.

In the preceding construction it should be stated that the pre-crimped strips forming the water tubes as well as the separator strips associated therewith are preferably formed of extremely thin metal, and in practice they are made of brass as well as copper. Each core unit is formed as above described but it should here be stated that the joint 9 of each is soldered to close one wall of the water tube against leakage. After the parts have been assembled to form the entire radiator core, a clamp is-placed around the assembly and pressure applied to hold the parts in tight contacting engagement. The core with the encompassing clamp is then laid in a bath of solder so that the entire surfaces 4, see Fig. 4, will take up the solder and thus secure the core as a unified mass.- The assemblage is then turned over and the other side immersed so that the solder may affect the surfaces 4 of the opposite side of the radiator, all as will be readily understood. During this soldering the heat therefrom will rise upwardly from the bath through the thin metal of the assemblage, and this heat is sufficient to cause a cementation 'of the fins 3 throughout their entire length to the separator strip 7 by virtue of the tinned surfaces thereof, thus making an extremely rigid construction, as well as one insuring a higher degree of heat transfer from the water in the tubes 5 through the fins 3 into the separator strip. In other words by having the strip and the fins thus joined, the conductivity of heat between the two is increased thus raising the mean temperature of the strip and so causing a more rapid and higher transfer of heat from the strip to the air. The clamp is removed after the solder has cooled and the unified radiator mass placed within its encompassing shell. and thus made ready for attachment to the automobile chassis.

From Figs. 4, 5, and 6, it is to be particularly noted that in the bending and folding sides pressed intov tight contacting engagez,

ment except at the extremities 14 where the soldering of the core units takes'place. It thus results that there is a very small space 15' which is left between the fin walls and vwater from the tube 5 may'passinto this space. Since the fins and the separator 7 are cemented in the completed assembly it will thus be seen that in actual functioning of the radiator core the heat from the water in the tubes 5 may substantially be directly ab-.

stracted by the separator strip; In other words. in heretofore known constructions the tubes 5have been devoid of means for conducting water laterally therefrom but by this construction the water is permitted -to,de-

viate from the zigzag course in the tube 5 and fill the fin space suchas 15 thus rendering a more rapid cooling of the water in its flow through the core. In Fig-4 the 3 conthe purpose of clearness. since the fin walls would be pressed at 14 into tighter contacting engagement than shown.

It is obvious that those skilledin the m may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts constituting the article.

as well as the steps and combinations of steps constituting the method without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore it is not desired to be limited "to the foregoing except as may be demanded by the claims. i

What is claimed is j 1. A radiator core comprising a-plurality of units, each unit forming with its adjacent unit a water tube, each unit formed from sheet metal folded to create heat radiating extend inwardly, a separator strip disposed between said fins said strip having grooves therein engaging the length of said fins on sheet metal folded to create heat radiating finsat spaced intervals and bent so saidfins.

extend inwardly, an imperforate substantial ly planar separator strip disposed between said fins, said strip having grooves formed alternate-ly on opposite .sides thereof for total lengthwise engagement'with said fins, a cement between and meeting each groove and struction has been slightly exaggerated for 190 the edge ofits associated fin, andindentions disposed betweensaid fins inithe surfaces of said water tubes. r

- fins at spaced intervals andbent so said fins 3. The herein described radiator unit comprising outer walls formed from strip metal,

folds in said walls constituting fins, said fins being inwardly directed with respect to said walls and arranged in staggered relation, the ends of said strip secured in a fin formation, indentions in said walls between said fins, said indentions constituting one half of the water tube formed when two of said units are placed in registry, and an imperforate substantially planar separator strip disposed between the inwardly directed fins said strip provided with oppositely directed grooves engaging said fins throughout their length.

4. The herein described radiator unit comprising a sheet of metal folded to provide a plurality of'double walled fins in spacedrelation, said sheet bent upon itself with said fins extending inwardly in staggered relation and the'ends of said sheet secured together in a fin formation, cementing composition on the edge of each fin, and a separator strip provided with grooves contain ing cementing composition for engaging the length of said fins.

5. The herein described radiator unit comprising a sheet of metal folded to provide a plurality of double walled fins in spaced relation, the wallsof each fin tightly closed at their ends but spaced therebetween, said sheet between said fins'provided with indentions meeting said fins and forming part of a water conducting tube, each indention adapted to communicate with the space between the walls of the adjacent'fin, and said sheet bent upon itself with said fins ext-ending inwardly in equally spaced staggered relation and the ends of said sheet secured together, cementing composition along the edge of each fin, and animperforate separator strip provided "with spaced grooves containing cementing composition, each groove secured to a finby said composition. '6. Ina radiator core the combination of fluid conducting passages comprising a plurality'of strips of metal each formed with in dentions constituting one half of a passage, and each strip having heat radiating fins ex tending laterally therefrom, the ends of said strips'secured in a fin; and an imperforate auxiliary heat radiating member extending from side to side and from front to back of said core, said member having grooves thermally "joined to said fins throughout their lengths.

7 In a radiator core the combination of fluid conducting passages comprising a plurality of strips of metal each form-ed with indentions constituting one half of a passage, and each strip having heat radiating fins extending laterally therefrom, each fin provided along its outer edge with applied solder, the ends of said strips secured in a fin; and an imperforate auxiliary heat radiating member coated with a solder affinity said 

